Unity of thought . . . leads to Unity of Action.

Ron Wilkins is a recently retired Africana Studies and History Department professor from California State University, Dominguez Hills and West Los Angeles College respectively.

The central focus of his proposal located on the links "home page" is Latino(a) Heritage Month (September) and the relatively unknown role of black fighters during Mexico's struggle for independence. Mr.

Wilkins will be available from 13-24 September. The cost of the presentation is $500 per session and/or packages which can be negotiated. Ron Wilkins can be contacted atrwilkins20@gmail.com.

“Black & Brown Unity Through the Lens of the Mexican Independence Struggle” Professor Ron Wilkins is an experienced and veteran cross cultural collaboration specialist whose work focuses on preventing and resolving conflict, and strengthening mutually supportive relationships between Black and Brown peoples. Through education, advocacy and intervention, he enables Mexican and African people in particular, to develop capacity to create and sustain understanding, friendships and cooperation. He accomplishes this by presenting previously suppressed information on the rich collaborative histories and ancestors that are common to both groups. Professor Wilkins has worked many years on campuses and in community settings, toward strengthening relations between Mexican and black people. He has written and lectured extensively on pre and post Columbian era solidarity among African, Mexican and Indigenous peoples. He has guided high school students on visits to “Black Mexico”, authored compelling and widely circulated “think pieces” on this topic, and completed a soon to be published book titled “Black and Brown Unity: An Illustrated History For Beginners”. Ron Wilkins effectively demonstrates that cross cultural conflict in high schools, detention facilities, or the community-at-large are but symptoms of a much larger problem: “historical amnesia”. He shows that once members of both communities receive the little-known history of their support for one another, they are moved to embrace and no longer view members of the “other group” with indifference, uneasiness, hatred or as competitors. Although Wilkinsʼ presentation will focus on the decisive role of black fighters in Mexicoʼs War of Independence from 1810-1821, it will also illuminate past collaborative interactions between Mexican and African peoples. These will include joint resistance against the perpetrators of slavery; the steadfast refusal of the Mexican government to sign fugitive slave extradition treaties with the U.S.; the critical engagement of Texas Mexicans who undermined slavery and helped thousands of runaways escape to freedom in Mexico; the resounding blow in 1862 against slave-holding interests that the Cinco de Mayo victory of Mexican defenders over pro-Confederate French invaders represented; the massive post Civil War migrations of southern blacks to Mexico for jobs and safe havens; the respectful 1930ʼs and 40ʼs athletic competitions in Mexico between Mexican players and the Negro Baseball Leagues; the 1930ʼs to 1960ʼs artistic collaboration at the Mexican Art School between major Mexican muralists and significant African American artists; 1960ʼs solidarity between Chicano and black activist organizations; black leadership with the United Farmworkerʼs Union and more. Rest assured that with the noteworthy exception of Ron Wilkins, no other investigator has addressed the history of the mutually-beneficial relationship between African and Mexican people and used it as a well- crafted practical approach to developing and sustaining solidarity between the two groups. - Ron Wilkins -- Cross Cultural Collaboration Specialist